Caractacus wrote: ↑03 Sep 2020, 14:42
hey, would you have any additional info on the boxing background of Albert Oldman (Miles End-East End)
(winner of the Gold medal heavyweight 1908 Olympics ?
did he receive his boxing training in the British Army ?
whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain ?
Oldham was a policeman, boxing for the London City Police AC. There were only six competitors at heavyweight in 1908, all of them English, and two of them policemen.
I am not sure what you mean by 'whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain?'. There was no qualifying tournament. The competition took the form of an open tournament. Anyone could enter, nine did, but the Dutch and French competitors withdrew, as did JWHT Douglas, who entered, and won, the Middleweight competition instead
Miles Templeton
The same JWHT Douglas who also played cricket for Essex and England! Slightly more accomplished in the ring than Freddie Flintoff then?
In my view, the most impressive combination of two sporting feats ever achieved by one man, even if the 1908 Olympic boxing was not of the highest quality, think about it :
1. To win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing
2. To captain England to an Ashes series victory.
Oldham was a policeman, boxing for the London City Police AC. There were only six competitors at heavyweight in 1908, all of them English, and two of them policemen.
I am not sure what you mean by 'whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain?'. There was no qualifying tournament. The competition took the form of an open tournament. Anyone could enter, nine did, but the Dutch and French competitors withdrew, as did JWHT Douglas, who entered, and won, the Middleweight competition instead
Miles Templeton
The same JWHT Douglas who also played cricket for Essex and England! Slightly more accomplished in the ring than Freddie Flintoff then?
In my view, the most impressive combination of two sporting feats ever achieved by one man, even if the 1908 Olympic boxing was not of the highest quality, think about it :
1. To win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing
2. To captain England to an Ashes series victory.
The two feats, to me, seem utterly incongruous.
Miles Templeton
And two very different sports too. Incredible really.
Caractacus wrote: ↑03 Sep 2020, 14:42
hey, would you have any additional info on the boxing background of Albert Oldman (Miles End-East End)
(winner of the Gold medal heavyweight 1908 Olympics ?
did he receive his boxing training in the British Army ?
whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain ?
Oldham was a policeman, boxing for the London City Police AC. There were only six competitors at heavyweight in 1908, all of them English, and two of them policemen.
I am not sure what you mean by 'whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain?'. There was no qualifying tournament. The competition took the form of an open tournament. Anyone could enter, nine did, but the Dutch and French competitors withdrew, as did JWHT Douglas, who entered, and won, the Middleweight competition instead
Miles Templeton
The same JWHT Douglas who also played cricket for Essex and England! Slightly more accomplished in the ring than Freddie Flintoff then?
Part of a famous sporting family, his father was an accomplished amateur boxer, his brother also played first class cricket and all three were prominent boxing referees, more so the father and brother who refereed many championship fights.
JHWT and his father met a tragic end, drowning together when the ship they were travelling on sank after colliding with another ship, which were being piloted by brothers.
How many Boxing gymnasiums dating from the 1910's still exist in London ?
what about Strongman Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham ?
what year did it close and what is at the location now ?
Last edited by Caractacus on 27 Jan 2025, 16:13, edited 2 times in total.
Caractacus wrote: ↑04 Sep 2020, 14:54
How many Boxing gymnasiums dating from the 1910's still exist in London ?
what about Strongman Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham ?
what year did it close and what is at the location now ?
Unsurprisingly, none. It was 110 years ago!
How many American gyms from the 1910s still survive? My guess is the same as over here.....none!
Would you have a listing of the Gymnasiums and their street locations from back then ?
what was the address of Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham (Southwest London) ?
does any footage of the old gyms survive in film footage ?
Caractacus wrote: ↑04 Sep 2020, 14:54
How many Boxing gymnasiums dating from the 1910's still exist in London ?
what about Strongman Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham ?
what year did it close and what is at the location now ?
Unsurprisingly, none. It was 110 years ago!
How many American gyms from the 1910s still survive? My guess is the same as over here.....none!
It's a different world.
Miles Templeton
Bravo Mike. Do you have any information on the 1909 London match between Johnson and Langford which never happened or Johnson's time spent in France?
Caractacus wrote: ↑04 Sep 2020, 14:54
How many Boxing gymnasiums dating from the 1910's still exist in London ?
what about Strongman Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham ?
what year did it close and what is at the location now ?
Unsurprisingly, none. It was 110 years ago!
How many American gyms from the 1910s still survive? My guess is the same as over here.....none!
It's a different world.
Miles Templeton
Bravo Mike. Do you have any information on the 1909 London match between Johnson and Langford which never happened or Johnson's time spent in France?
Give me a few days and I will research this for you.
here are some of the venues that Jack Johnson appeared at whilst in London.
during 1911
Golders Green Hippodrome (borogh of Barnet,North London)
Alhambra Theatre (Leicester Square,West End)
June-rented Flat near Shaftsbury Avenue.
July-Oxford Music Hall
( stayed at Luxboroug House an apartment hotel in Paddington,just off Regent's Park)
August-Euston Palace of Varities
Empress Theatre (Earl's Court)
September 1911-Royal Forest Hotel Chingford
Epping Forest,(North edge of London
( his training camp for his canceled October fight with Bombardier Billy Wells for 20 rounds scheduled at the
Empress Theatre
September.28.1911-appearence at Bow Street, Earl's Court
( here is some rare film footage of Jack Johnson on his way to court on Bow Street Covent Garden,Westminster for the injunction to halt his fight with Gunner Wells)
Oxford Theatre, Westminister London
1915-
May- The South ;London Theatre in the Elephant & Castle District
rented a home at Haverstock Hill
rented a flat at St. Mary's Mansion in Paddington
Caractacus wrote: ↑04 Sep 2020, 14:54
How many Boxing gymnasiums dating from the 1910's still exist in London ?
what about Strongman Thomas Inch's gymnasium in Fulham ?
what year did it close and what is at the location now ?
Thomas Inch (1881-1963)once sparred three rounds with Sam Langford at the National Sporting Club in 1909
and had helped condition British fighter Bombardier Billy Wells.
Caractacus wrote: ↑03 Sep 2020, 14:42
hey, would you have any additional info on the boxing background of Albert Oldman (Miles End-East End)
(winner of the Gold medal heavyweight 1908 Olympics ?
did he receive his boxing training in the British Army ?
whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain ?
Oldham was a policeman, boxing for the London City Police AC. There were only six competitors at heavyweight in 1908, all of them English, and two of them policemen.
I am not sure what you mean by 'whom did he defeat to represent Great Britain?'. There was no qualifying tournament. The competition took the form of an open tournament. Anyone could enter, nine did, but the Dutch and French competitors withdrew, as did JWHT Douglas, who entered, and won, the Middleweight competition instead
Miles Templeton
The same JWHT Douglas who also played cricket for Essex and England! Slightly more accomplished in the ring than Freddie Flintoff then?
A very unlikely sporting combination. An Olympic gold medal for boxing and the captain of an Ashes winning England cricket team.
Died, along with his father, in 1930, in a shipping tragedy. The two of them virtually ran the National Sporting Club throughout the 1920s.
